Before Radiohead, there was...

Radiohead's recent release of the hugely anticipated "In Rainbows" via the Internet, with no fixed charge, sent a high-profile message to the traditional music industry. And that's happening on a local level as well. Earlier this past summer, online-only label Inman Street Records (inmanstreetrecords .com) was quietly launched in Cambridge, releasing new records via high-quality MP3s completely free of charge.

People have the option of contributing $5, though there is no obligation to do so. The online label splits proceeds 70/30 in the bands' favor - a better deal than traditional labels offer. Inman Street was created by Ramsey Tantawi, a recording engineer for WMBR's live local music show "Pipeline!" and a member of the experimental rock troupe Concord Ballet Orchestra Players. So far, the releases have been from local artists.

"There are lots of great bands in New England. I keep my ear to the ground; it's easy to pick up things that others might miss," Tantawi says. Inman debuted with "Mosquito Nets" by the indie-pop band Reports (above); Das Kitchen's "Golden Vault," featuring recordings made in an Allston apartment; and Most Bitter's "The Denatonium Benzoate EP." Then came EPs from Tulsa and Shrinking Islands. Both Reports and Tulsa's records are also released on other indie labels (Paper Cities and Park the Van, respectively).

With low overheads, there's no pressure to "sell," allowing Tantawi to concentrate on building an eclectic roster and healthy forum for artists, and not just local ones.

"I really love music from other nations and cultures," he says, "sounds and songs that are different from what we're normally exposed to. I'm working on bringing that to Inman Street as well."